The Storm's 0-for-10 First Half From Three is a Gut Punch to This Season

Alright, Emerald City, we gotta talk about this. Monday night in Arlington was rough, like, *really* rough. Our Seattle Storm went down hard, 79-56, against the Dallas Wings in a Commissioner's Cup clash that honestly felt over before it even started. This isn't just another loss, fam. This one stings, capping off three straight losses and making it four brutal road defeats in a row for our squad, dropping our record to a concerning 3-7. The team looked sluggish, the shots weren't falling, and the Wings just ran all over us. We need to figure this out, and fast, because the season is rolling whether we like it or not.

Where Did Our Shots Go?

The numbers don't lie, and these numbers are yelling for help. Our Storm went an anemic 4 of 19 from beyond the arc for the entire game, which is just painful to watch. But the first half? It was even worse. We were a shocking 0 of 10 from deep before the break. Think about that for a second: *zero* made threes in an entire half of basketball. Dallas completely dominated us on the boards in that first half too, outrebounding us 25-17. You can't win games like that, especially not against a team that came out firing. Dallas scored the first seven points and never looked back, holding a 16-10 lead after the first quarter and pushing it to 36-25 by halftime, thanks to a Paige Bueckers three-pointer right before the buzzer. We just never threatened, even when Natisha Hiedeman hit three free throws to pull us within six in the second quarter. Those brief rallies were quickly extinguished.

Rookie Shine in a Dark Night

It wasn't all bad, thankfully. Rookie Flau'jae Johnson continues to be a bright spot, putting up an impressive 16 points and grabbing 10 rebounds for a double-double. That's the kind of fight and production we desperately need from our young talent. Natisha Hiedeman added 11 points, leading all scorers with 11 before halftime, but she couldn't carry the load alone. Dallas, on the other hand, had a balanced attack, with Aziaha James leading them with 18 points off the bench, and Bueckers adding 10 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists. They poured it on in the third quarter, turning a halftime lead into a 57-37 advantage by the start of the fourth, even building a 24-point lead at one point. The game was essentially over with seven minutes left, as both teams started emptying their benches. We need more than just a couple of standout performances if we're going to turn this ship around. This Commissioner's Cup loss stings, but it's also a wake-up call. We're staring down a three-game losing streak and our road woes are real. We've gotta regroup, shake off this funk, and figure out how to get those shots to fall. The next game isn't just another game, it's a chance to show what we're really made of. Let's get back to the grind, Emerald City, and show everyone what the Storm can *really* do.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.